BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Club Brugge were crowned Belgian champions for the third time in the last four years after drawing 3-3 away at Anderlecht on Thursday.
The point was enough to put Brugge out of the reach of second-placed Racing Genk, who had beaten Antwerp 4-0 earlier in the day.
Brugge were 3-1 up with 25 minutes left, after Hans Vanaken had scored twice, but conceded two goals in the closing stages as Anderlecht threatened a win which would have taken the title race to the final day on Sunday.
The point moved Brugge to 44 at the end of a dominant season and a 17th title overall, still way off the record 34 league titles won by Anderlecht.
“We did feel the stress when Genk won but we had a fantastic year, we deserved this title,” Brugge captain Ruud Vormer said. “We were simply the best.”
Brugge gain automatic entry to the group phase of next season’s Champions League and Genk will enter the competition in the third qualifying round.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ed Osmond)
